Who started it? Australians Bonnie Coumbe and Carlos Aviles launched Seventh Wonderland at Miami Swim Fashion Week in 2008. Coumbe, who designed and created her first swimsuit at the age of 13, plays the creative yin to Aviles' business yang, a role it seems she was destined to take. Hailing from the northeast coast of New South Wales, Coumbe grew up on the beach and was surrounded by creative influences - her grandmother was a tailor, her parents are both artists and her brother is a costume designer. Aviles, on the other hand, has extensive experience in fashion sales and marketing, both in Australia and around the world. Together they set out to create a luxury swimwear label that is fresh, fashionable and distinctly Australian.

Why we love it: the collections are sexy and sophisticated and the duo cites a long and varied list of influences that includes music, architecture, exotic cultures and art deco. For spring-summer, the company has created a whimsical range inspired by a dance scene from the 1933 Busby Berkeley film Footlight Parade. The swimwear features classic silhouettes updated with modern cuts and details such as hand-worked macrame front panels and straps and side panels made up of rows of intricate knots and front and side zips. The original prints in the collection were created by Coumbe and the fabrics are high-quality imports from Italy.

What we'd pick: we love the oil-like print on a sweet one-piece with side detailing (far right; HK$2,380). The black one-piece with front knot details and zips (right; HK$3,360) is a chic take on a classic swimsuit.